Advances in synthetic biology lower the barrier to creating novel pathogens. A deliberately engineered pandemic could kill hundreds of millions and destabilize civilization.
Advances in synthetic biology, gene editing, and AI-assisted protein design have dramatically lowered the barrier to creating dangerous novel pathogens. A deliberately engineered pandemic could kill hundreds of millions and permanently destabilize global civilization. This report assesses the threat landscape, evaluates current biosecurity governance frameworks, and proposes a research and policy agenda for meaningful risk reduction.
Reviews BSL-3 and BSL-4 laboratory standards globally, identifies compliance failures, and recommends binding international standards with independent inspection.